Reflections
by JonoGwood
Summary: A deeply philosophical fic where Calvin and Hobbes bounce ideas off one another and contemplate the world around them.
1. Chapter 1

"Hobbes?"

The tiger looked beside him to see his six-year-old buddy Calvin gazing up at him with a look of puzzlement.

"Yes?" came the reply.

"Why are we here?"

Now it was Hobbes's turn to be puzzled. The textbook loaded question.

The tiger repeated the question in his mind. Re-repeated it, even.

"Tigers, or people?" Hobbes asked, hoping for clarification on the question.

"Us," Calvin replied. "Why is it that we come from middle-class, modest income backgrounds, when in other places there is widespread, crippling poverty?"

Hobbes turned his gaze from the boy to the shimmering horizon in front of the two. The silence seemed to last for a lifetime.

Calvin looked at Hobbes, growing impatient with each passing second. Hobbes's face was creased with thought.

"I guess we're just lucky", Hobbes said at last. Calvin looked at his friend, sighed and looked at the horizon.

"I guess you're right," Calvin replied.

"Tigers are always right," Hobbes grinned.

"Shut up, you."


	2. The Kardashians

Calvin was feeling annoyed about something. Hobbes could sense it from a mile away, as he knew the signs. Calvin always squinted, with his hand scratching his chin.

"Something bothering you?" the tiger asked his friend.

"I can't imagine why anyone would watch the Kardashians," Calvin exploded. "They're all rich idiots who happen to be famous by some stupid, incredible luck! Kim especially... I don't even want to get started on her."

"Roslyn likes that show, right?" Hobbes inquired.

"Yeah! That's part of the reason I don't trust her," Calvin sighed. "Babysitters who watch trash TV have my utmost suspicion."

"How else will the masses get their daily fix of misguided angst and the struggles of the rich and famous?" Hobbes mused, deep in thought.

"I'd rather watch paint dry," Calvin muttered. "Trash TV appeals to the lowest common denominator, of which I refuse to be one!"

"I think 'Kardashian' should be a synonym for someone with too much money and too little sense," Calvin muttered.


	3. Gullible

The boy and his tiger sat together off the small pier catching fish. The sun was beginning its slow descent into the abyss of the cosmos, its rays reflecting on the water as if for the last time, twinkling a gesture of farewell.

Hobbes was hoping that there'd be tuna in the sea at that moment, as he repeatedly let the boy, Calvin, know. Calvin thought to get Hobbes a can from the fridge, but the tiger insisted on catching tuna naturally.

And so there they were, silently hoping for so much as a nibble.

"The fish are awfully gullible to bite on the hook," Calvin spoke. "You know, I always thought they'd instinctively know that that mollusc was a fake."

"Well, good for us, they don't," Hobbes grinned. He felt his stomach growl. "We'd better get a bite soon."

"Suppose we are also gullible, like fish?" Calvin said, more to himself than to Hobbes. "What if our current trend of relentless consumerism demands us to be gullible so we can buy the latest pieces of technology, only to discover it was only a modest improvement? Do corporations just think we'll buy anything?"

Hobbes didn't reply, as he was deep in thought.

"You know, Hobbes, I'm pretty sure that the latest computers and phones don't offer much in the way of better processing speed. It's all marketing hogwash."

"You may be right, Calvin," Hobbes said at last.

"Well, all I'm saying is that, as a consumerist society, we ought to be smarter."

"We wouldn't buy much, though," Hobbes replied. "The economy would suffer."

"True," Calvin offered.

The two friends continued to fish well past sunset.

"CALVIN!" yelled his mother. "TIME FOR BED! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Waxing philosophical!" Calvin called back.

"WELL WAX PHILOSOPHICAL TOMORROW!"

"Mothers," Calvin mumbled as he and Hobbes walked into the house.


	4. Breaking News

It was a normal Saturday morning in Calvin's household. At precisely six o'clock Calvin and Hobbes sprang out of bed and, trying very carefully not to wake up Mum and Dad, they tiptoed down the stairs and turned the television on just in time to catch an episode of _SpongeBob SquarePants_.

"I've seen that one," dismissed Calvin. "I'll go get the Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs, okay?"

Hobbes grimaced. "Yeah, sure, you do that," he replied, remembering his traumatic experience of eating a spoonful. He personally didn't understand why Calvin enjoyed them so much. It said a lot about him, actually.

Back to SpongeBob. Hobbes was watching the episode where SpongeBob and Patrick were playing with a magic pencil, unknowingly creating an evil drawing. Hobbes was enthralled. This was better than the other cartoons Calvin enjoyed. SpongeBob seemed to be a bit more cerebral.

Just as the action really got going in the episode, the episode stopped and cut to a flashing 'BREAKING NEWS', with a voice saying, 'This is an XYZ News special report.' It then cut to a fresh-faced news anchor looking grim as she held papers in her hands. 'We're interrupting this program with some breaking news. We've just received reports that a bomb has exploded near O'Hare Airport.'

Hobbes froze. O'Hare. That was forty miles from where they lived.

'Calvin!' Hobbes cried as he ran to his friend.

'Wait, I'm pouring the milk,' Calvin protested.

'This is important! A bomb's exploded near O'Hare.'

Calvin looked at Hobbes skeptically.

"Have you been watching Fox News again, Hobbes?"

"No, really, Calvin. CNN's gone into breaking news on the story.'

Calvin almost dropped the carton of milk he was holding.

* * *

"I don't believe this," Hobbes kept repeating as they watched the coverage.

"Yeah," Calvin replied. "Why would anyone do this?"

"Well..." Hobbes's mind was desperately searching for answers, but coming up empty-handed for once. He didn't say anything for a while.

"People get so caught up in their ideologies that they ignore reality," Calvin thought aloud. Hobbes nodded.

"I've never understood why terrorists do what they do," went on Calvin. "Fear will never control people. Mom told me that after 9/11, America became stronger. I think this will also happen after the dust has settled, literally and metaphorically."

"I guess we'll never understand their motives," Hobbes offered. "Their methods are barbaric, their state of mind mangled and broken beyond belief. No rational person can really understand it. I think that we can't let them reduce us to cowards. It is the terrorists who are the real cowards."

"If they really think a bomb is going to frighten people into submission, they are sorely mistaken," Calvin said, never taking his eyes off the TV screen.

* * *

Later news reports established that there were no fatalities, although there was some damage to some of the exterior of the airport.

"Thank goodness," Hobbes exclaimed.

"See, terrorists will never win," Calvin cried triumphantly. "You can try, but you will never break the peoples' resolve. We are the United States of America!"

Satisfied that the people responsible would be found and persecuted for their crimes, the two friends settled happily to sleep.

 **AN: I'm not an American, but I admire the patriotic spirit, particularly after the September 11 attacks. This is a tribute to your resolve, America. Australia salutes you. Terrorism will not stand.**

 **-JonoGwood**


End file.
